Friday, January 20, 2017

We are all political beings. While I have generally kept my blog a place to share my love of our land and environment, the swearing in of our 45th president has brought my politics to the fore. What is posted below is my post on Facebook from this morning, on the eve of what I see as a very dark time before us, ALL of us, regardless of your political leanings.

Buckle up.

I had trouble going to sleep last night. Not because I was worried about leaking roofs, frozen toilets or how we're going to heat our new home, but because I was thinking about this day. Thinking about what is about to happen to what has arguably been, up till now, the most advanced civilization on the planet. I was so keyed up, so scared, so worried, that I lay in bed, shaking like a leaf.

I am terrified.

There is nothing about the man who is about to become our president, or about our Congress, that I support. The people who are now in charge share not one of my concerns, not for women's health and safety, not for the protection of the environment, not for equality, not for holding up the least among us. They don't support the arts, they believe the free press is a threat against them, they believe our voices should be silenced. They believe that the influence of a hostile foreign nation in our politics is fine since the outcome worked in their favor.

Mark my words--this will not end well.

I'm no political analyst. I have no special training or education or political experience. This is all from my gut--we are in grave danger, and it's not just minorities and women and the environment. It's all of us.

There is a little hope. Best case, Trump is impeached quickly, and Republicans lose control of Congress in 2018, and we can mitigate the damage caused, can mend the fabric of our society. Because make no mistake, this administration is out to dismantle this country. Every cabinet pick--literally every one--has made a career out of working against the very department they have been asked to oversee. And since the new session began, Congress has been moving full steam ahead to dismantle social programs aimed at the most desperate among us, many of whom believed the man who told them he was going to make America great again.

But you see, he wasn't talking to us. His rallies were packed with angry people who were so desperate for change that they handed our country over to a con man--because conned is what we have been. From the day he entered the race, with his inflammatory remarks about Mexican immigrants, he has been distracting us from his real purpose--to line his pockets with the riches of this world. When he vowed to make America great again, he didn't mean for us--he meant for him, and for his peers, who are not you and me, who are people who have never lived a day in their lives worried about how their bills will be paid, how they will feed their families, how they'll afford health care.

It is no accident that Russia was involved in this election. It is no accident that Rex Tillerson, CEO of Exxon Mobil, will be our next Secretary of State. It is no accident that Russia and Mobil have a deal waiting in the wings that will generate $500 billion of oil production in the Arctic sea, that is simply waiting for an ally in the White House to remove the sanctions and get this ball rolling.

To me, this is the crux. I would be willing to bet my life that our new leader has been promised a cut of that deal. I would bet my life that he worked closely with Russia to wage an incredibly effective propaganda campaign that demolished a highly qualified candidate, and that instead put a demagogue in charge of the United States of America.

Trump doesn't care about healthcare, or social security, or the environment, or women's issues. He doesn't care about the price of gas, or public education, or National Parks. Those mundane things he's more than happy to let his cabinet and Congress deal with. He doesn't want intelligence briefings, or to hold press conferences, or even allow the press to report on him. No, he cares about only one thing--himself, and how to enrich himself. So while we squabble over his cabinet picks, and scurry around trying to stop Congress from dismantling every social safety net and environmental regulation, while we march and protest and hold up our signs, demanding to be heard, he will be sleeping with the enemy.

Because now, two of the most powerful countries in the world are working together--or at least their very sick, very disturbed leaders are. He and Putin want only one thing--to make themselves the most powerful, wealthiest men in the world. Russia has not hid their desire to swallow up Europe--they started several years ago with Crimea and the Ukraine. Trump has already stated he does not support NATO, leaving our European allies wondering what their future holds, with the shadow of an emboldened Russia looming. I think he will let Putin do whatever the hell he wants, as long as the profits are huge.

So while we are right to fight for social justice, while we are right to do all we can to protect our environment, while we are right to fear for the loss of scientific inquiry and an education system that increasingly fails to educate our kids, we are missing the bigger point. The MUCH bigger point. My fear, the thing that is causing my terror, is that we are entering into a period when the USA and Russia work together to rule the world, and ruling the world always comes with war. Not a war on women, or gays, or immigrants. Not a war on our environment, or our schools, or our press. No. A real war. With real bombs, and real people dying. And I don't see how this can escape us. I don't see how this won't happen on our soil, considering the weapons available today.

Trump is a puppet, put in place by Russia to weaken this great country. And once Trump has served his purpose, Putin will go after us too. Because there can be only one at the top, and it's not going to be us with Trump in the lead. Trump doesn't have the world view needed to be a global tyrant, but Putin does.

I hope that I am wrong. I hope that this is just my over-active imagination whipping my fears into a frenzy, and things will not be as bad as I see they could be.

Tuesday, January 3, 2017

Yellowstone 2016 con't:
We left the Lamar valley around 11:30 Wednesday morning, having not seen any wolves, and drove all the way to the North Entrance and out to Gardiner to visit the Yellowstone Association headquarters. We were told the folks there would have up to date info on wolf sightings throughout the park. But when we asked, they didn't seem to know much at all, and had no knowledge of the bison that had been hit the previous evening. But the ladies were very nice, and we bought some books and a few souvenirs, then went next door to an ice cream shop for a treat.

Back in the park we stopped along the Gardiner River. The only places where we could let the dogs out of the van were within 100 feet of a road or other developed area. This spot along the river had a picnic area near the parking lot--this is actually just across the road from day use area at the Boiling River--so we took the boys out for a walk along the river.

Gardiner River

It was a nice, sunny afternoon, so we took our time and enjoyed the scenery.

These two beagle that we adopted last year, Stanley and Cooper, more than likely spent most of their lives in a pen. They were both heartworm positive when we adopted them (the shelter did the treatment) and had a host of other parasites. Neither is neutered, and neither was housebroken, and both had clearly been abused. But they've come a long way in the year we've had them, and we love traveling with them, even if it limits what we can do and where we can go. They are good boys, quiet and pretty chill.

Cooper surveying the river, hoping I'm not gonna make him go swimming!

A bit farther down the road we came across this beautiful meadow full of blazing yellow willows. We stopped for some shots...

...then noticed a big bull elk with his harem up ahead. What a remarkable animal. He was bugling away, calling the girls. I noticed the big crook in his muzzle--not sure if that's something that happens with age, or if he had been injured at some point. In any case, he was simply magnificent.

Bull elk.

He eventually caught up with the girls...

...then continued to move uphill through the sagebrush. I swear he's posing.

We eventually made our way back to Lamar Valley, and found a spot to park and set up our scopes. There were lots of folks there, but not much activity. We were one pull-out west of where the bison carcass had been dragged to, and could not see it. We asked some folks near us about wolves but no one seemed to know.

Evening in Lamar Valley.

I had my scope up and was scanning the valley when I noticed a few lumps about 150 yards out. As I looked closely, one of the lumps moved, and I realized I'd found all four wolves, lounging on our side of the Lamar River!

Three of the four wolves--the fourth was off to the left, another tan and gray.

Oh boy were we excited! It wasn't too long before the black wolf on the left got up and stretched, and started making his way towards the carcass. He howled and called to the others, who seemed reluctant at first to join him. It seemed pretty clear that these were in fact the four pups from the Prospect Peak pack--pups this age (probably around six months old) have spiky hair on their backs, kind of like a warthog.

Young pup ambles across the Lamar valley.

He eventually got the two gray and tan pups to join him. We were all hopeful that they would finally make their way to the carcass.

The trio howled and howled, and I tired some "digiscoping" with my iPhone

Digiscoped image showing two pups howling.

The black pup got within 50 yards or so of the carcass, then turned and trotted away to the west, ultimately passing in front of us before disappearing behind a ridge. It seemed like such a sudden move, and we wondered if the rest of the pack was off that way somewhere. We hadn't heard any howling from that way but they were definitely moving with intent.

We watched until they slipped from view.

The ever-present coyotes watched them leave too.

We had to leave the following morning to get down to Madison campground, so there was no time to revisit the Lamar valley the next day, but we did hear that the wolves were on the carcass overnight, and were still there the next day. But nonetheless we were thrilled with the looks we had gotten, and it's another experience with wolves in the wild that I will never forget.

About Me

I am a wildlife artist and nature photographer living and working in Southeast Michigan. I live with two other artists with whom I have a business, Bear Track Studios, LLC. We have two old beagles, (Stanley and Cooper), two cats, (Louie and Oscar), and 7 chickens (the number seems to change fairly frequently).